Blinded By Love
by Kat Lee formerly Pirate Turner
Summary: When Andie becomes a Witch, will she result to spells to win Pacey back?
1. Prologue

Title: "Blinded by Love"  
Author: Pirate Turner  
Rating: NC-17  
Spoilers: The fate of Pacey and Andie's relationship  
Summary: When Andie becomes a Witch, will she result to spells to win Pacey back?  
Disclaimer: Andie McPhee, Pacey Witter, Jack McPhee, Jennifer "Jen" Lindley, Josephine "Joey" Potter, Dawson Leery, and Dawson's Creek are all © & TM their respective owners and are used without permission. Chapter One's spell's words come from Shakira's "Rules", and the lyrics are © & TM their respective owner. Everything else is © & TM the author, Pirate Turner. I make absolutely no profit whatsoever off of this story.

**Prologue**

The furious wind and angry thunder tore at the small attic, shaking the ancient, wood boards until their racket filled the Victorian house. From the shadows, a white, smooth hand reached out, and as it reached, the violent storm outside grew. Fingers firmly grasped the handle of the small, glowing broom. Instantly, lightning flashed in all directions, and the attic windows were torn off their hinges and sent flying around the room. The blonde held tightly to the broomstick even as the whole house shook and the glow grew not only to envelope her but also the entire room around her.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**  
Three Years Later

The room's shadows were chased away only by the pink, red, magenta, gold, and silver candles. The dozens of candles were set in a circle just within the intricate pentegram carved into the floor. A single figure knelt before the altar in the pentagram's center. She simultaneously lifted two pieces of rope, one in each hand, and began to chant as she tied them together in a knot that no mortal's fingers would be able to untie.

_Dovete giurare  
Avete dovuto l'amore per amarli  
Quello durerà per sempre  
Dobbiamo avere una storia  
Con una conclusione felice_

As she continued to chant, she poured a portion of a herb mixture onto the knot and began to rub it with steadfast hands into the ropes.

_Così non vada mai via  
E non messo mai da parte  
Le cose sto andando dire  
Poiché queste sono le regole per noi_

Lightning flashed outside her window, but she never even noticed as she continued to work her spell. Placing the single rope that now was where two had been tied together onto her altar, she sprinkled another portion of the herb mixture into a black bowl where a single picture of a handsome teenager smiled up at her. She lit a match and dropped it into the bowl before beginning to move her hands over the bowl. Her eyes closed as she focused her thoughts on imagining what she ached for actually happening.

_Pacey Witter, usa i vostri occhi per guardarlo soltanto  
Usi la vostra bocca per baciare soltanto i miei labbri  
Siamo i rami dello stesso vecchio albero  
Potete ridere soltanto se ridete con me  
Potete cry soltanto se cry per me  
Non si dimentichi che siete condemmed a me_

Even as the image burned, the photograph curling into itself, she sprinkled the remainder of the herb mixture she had worked so hard on into a liquid that swam inside her cauldron. She used her athame to stir the herbs into the potion even as she continued chanting:

_L'OH può voi non vedere  
Eravate sempre  
Sarete sempre  
E lo conoscete basterete per noi  
Qualunque sembra di destra  
Ma può occorrere un istante  
Prima che cambi le regole_

As the herbs continued to dissolve into the bubbling liquid, her hands began to move over her cauldron, the bowl, and the rope. The three objects were set into a triangle, and her eyes closed as she continued to concentrate on what she intended to happen. Her lips continued to move without stopping:

_Usi i vostri occhi per guardarlo soltanto  
Usi la vostra bocca per baciare soltanto i miei labbri  
Siamo i rami dello stesso vecchio albero  
Potete ridere soltanto se ridete con me  
Potete cry soltanto se cry per me  
Non si dimentichi che siete condannati a me  
L'OH può voi non vedere  
Eravate sempre  
Sarete sempre_

Even as thunder violently shook the building, echoing throughout her apartment, the Witch continued chanting long into the night.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**  
The Next Day

As she walked into the restaurant, her head held proudly and defiantly, her blue eyes swept the room. She was immediately greeted by a young redhead who could not have been any more than eighteen. "Ma'am," she said cheerfully, a huge smile plastered over her face, "will you be dining alone this evening?"

The blonde turned to look at her, and when she spoke, it was in a cold, flat voice that clearly left no room for protest, "I'm looking for Pacey Witter. Where is he?"

The girl swallowed the lump that rose in her throat as the older woman's icy blue eyes fixed on her own emerald eyes. "Mister Witter is in the kitchen, ma'am. Can I get you anything?"

"Yeah." The response was cold and curt. "You can get me him."

"Mister Witter doesn't like to be . . . " The redhead fell abruptly silent as the blonde dressed in black took one step closer to her. She faltered for just a second, stepping swiftly backwards, but she then hurriedly said, "Right. Let me fetch him for you, miss." She turned swiftly and all but ran to the swinging doors of the kitchen.

Just as the redhead reached the kitchen's entrance, the doors blew open, and she nearly collided with her manager. "M-Mister Witter, there's a woman here to see you," she babbled nervously.

"Annette, how many times do I have to tell you that when I'm on the clock . . . " Pacey's voice died suddenly in his throat as the blonde appeared behind his employee.

Brown eyes met blue eyes, and he swallowed hard. "Pacey." When she spoke his name, it was neither with anger nor indifference, but it also was not with the adoring, cheerful voice that had once made his very day every day for quite some time.

"Andie." He had thought he would never see her again, and he was stunned speechless. Although he wondered why she was dressed in such solemn colors, he also could not help admiring her beauty.

"I know it's been a long time, Pacey, but I need to talk to you. It's important."

As she spoke again, he was even more surprised to see the change in her demeanor. In only a matter of seconds, her expression-less face and eyes had been clouded with a sadness so great that it was all he could not to reach out and take her into his arms where he might stand a chance of protecting her against whatever had obviously hurt her so terribly. "Right. Huh, Annette?"

"Getting lost, sir," she replied even as she swiftly sprinted away and back to the door to welcome the restaurant's next couple.

Andie watched Annette's hurried departure, but Pacey could not tear his eyes away from the beauty before him. When she looked back to him, he was still staring, and she completely hid a smile. When she spoke again, her tone was filled with tears. "Pacey, I know I have no right to ask this of you, but something terrible has happened. You're the only one I can turn to."

"What about Jack?" he managed to move his lips enough to ask.

She closed her eyes briefly against what he thought to be pain. When she reopened them, they glistened with tears. "I don't know how I'm going to tell him. I can't . . . not yet. I'll need some one there with me when I do, and you're the only one I have to turn to. Please, Pacey, I . . ."

He could stand it no longer as he closed the physical distance that had once stood between them. His hands itched to cup her lovely face, but instead he shoved them into his pockets. "What is it, Andie? What's happened?"

She sent a quick glance around the room. "Not here, Pacey," she said, shaking her head in regret. "It's not something that I can say in public. It's . . . " She broke herself off, shaking her head. "Can you come by tonight?"

He shouldn't be alone with her, but how could he possibly refuse her when she was so close to tears? "Of course," he found himself saying before he could even give the matter any further thought. "But . . . Where is here?"

"My apartment," Andie replied, reaching into her jacket pocket and retrieving a small, white business card. She handed it to him, and he glanced at it. "You're an author now?" he asked in surprise, looking back up at her. When she nodded, he asked, "What do you write?"

Even more sadness and grief filled her blue eyes as she spoke in a soft, sad voice, "Let's just say I've had a lot of experience with heartache and dying." Her words stung his heart, but she spoke again before he could say anything else. "So I'll see you tonight, say around eight o'clock?"

"I'll be there," he promised.

Without giving him a chance to say anything else, she turned and left. She had seen the regret in his wonderful eyes when she had spoken of the heartache she had experienced, but she knew she could not have borne whatever he might have been about to say then and so had interrupted him as quickly as she had been able to. As she passed through the door, her left hand pushing it open, her right hand reached up, its fingers gently wiping her closed eyes.

He watched her go. His lips were a grim line, but only his brown eyes spoke truly, giving away his hammering heart that felt as if it had been ripped out. He had caused her so much misery in their past together, and now she was dying. What other reason could she have for wearing all black on this day? What else could she possibly have that she could talk to him about but could not yet speak with her own brother about? His eyes closed tightly against the tears that threatened to swell in them. His Andie was dying.

As Andie's car zipped down the road outside the restaurant, a slow smile began to spread over her lips. The grief left her eyes, and her baby blues shone for the first time in years. Everything would soon be just as it should be again.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

The doorbell chimed at exactly eight o'clock. He had already been there, standing outside her door, for the last three minutes, talking to himself mentally and trying desperately to calm his nerves. How could it be that she was dying? She was so young and still had so much to live for!

What was he going to do when she told him? How was he going to react? He couldn't cry for her; that would only makes matters worse. What he truly wanted to do he had long ago given up any right to do, and that was to wrap her in his arms and keep her safe from any and all possible dangers. Yet even if he could do so, he would still be absolutely powerless to stop whatever disease was eating away at his beloved.

Why was it that, after all this time, when she finally came to him again, it was due to a matter that he had never wanted to happen? Although he had not seen her for years, his feelings for her were still there and just as strong as they had been when she had went away from Capeside all those years ago to get well and regain mental stability.

Now, as his heart pounded in his chest and he waited for her to answer the door, he began to wonder if perhaps he was going crazy. He already was, he thought. Crazy over her. Oh, he'd tried everything he had been able to think of, but nothing had quite . . .

His thoughts shattered as the door slid open, and she stood there looking at him with a brave smile on her soft lips. Her blonde hair was swept down behind her shoulders, and his fingers longed to be able to run through it. She wore a dress of black silk that seemed almost to twirl around her slim figure. "Pacey," she spoke his name warmly with the same brave smile yet, despite her beautiful appearance, the smile on her lovely face, and the warmth of her voice that had once crooned sweet words of love into his eager ears, he could not be fooled. The sadness he saw in her eyes gave her away. She was dying, he thought, not only physically but spiritually, as well.

"Come in." She spoke the words softly, her smile still firmly in place, as she turned and swept back into her apartment, leaving him to follow her.

He walked into the room, hoping that the feelings that toiled within his heart and soul were not showing. He slid the door to a silent close behind him, and when he turned back around, he was surprised to find her at a round table in the center of the room. Two glasses set side by side on the table, and she was finishing pouring a drink into them. "I thought you might be a bit thirsty," she said in way of explanation to his puzzled look.

"Andie, that looks like champagne." She nodded slowly, and he shook his head. He started to cross the floor to her. "There's nothing to celebrate."

"Life, Pacey," she explained with a gentle smile even as she lifted the glasses and offered him one. "Life is too short. When you have the money to buy things, you should enjoy them while you can before it's too late."

As he accepted the glass, their fingers brushed, shooting electric sparks through both. Andie calmly took the right chair, crossed her legs before her, and looked up and over to Pacey as he sat down. Her sad, blue eyes studied him intently. She could tell he was nervous. "Thank you for seeing me tonight, Pacey. To tell you the truth, I wasn't sure you would. After everything we've put each other through, I wouldn't have blamed you if you had declined to come here tonight."

"Andie, if you need me, I'll always be there for you." His deep brown eyes met her baby blues as he spoke.

She smiled sadly. "Here's to friends then," she said, lifting the glass in offer to a toast. He hesitated but finally clinked his glass against hers. They drank at the same time, but her eyes never left him. He swallowed, and she witnessed his eyes shimmer for a few seconds before returning to normal.

Finally, she put her glass back down onto the table. A soft sigh emitted from her lips. "Pacey," she spoke slowly, shaking her head just as slowly, "I don't know how to tell you this, but I . . ." Her voice drifted off as she stood abruptly and walked over to look out over Boston's night life. "God, I knew this would be hard, but I didn't know it would be _this_ hard . . ."

He rose and followed her to the window. "Whatever it is, Andie, you can tell me," his voice assured her from just behind her.

"Oh, Pacey, I've . . . I've done something horrible . . ." A tear slipped down her cheek.

His head jerked back slowly in surprise. She had done something horrible? Was this really what she had brought him here to tell him tonight? Was she . . . _not_ dying? His heart leapt with hope even as he reached out and, with gentle hands, turned her to face him. "Andie," he called to her, but her eyes would not meet his. He gently lifted her chin with a single finger, forcing her eyes to meet his. "McPhee," he said softly, "I don't know what it is you've gotten yourself into, but whatever it is, I'm here for you. Whatever it is, I'll understand, and I'll help you through it."

"Oh, Pacey," she breathed softly, a deep sorrow clouding her beautiful features. "It's you. I lied to you again tonight. I lied to you and made you think I was dying to lure you here tonight. Please, don't run," she begged him, her eyes frantically searching his. "Give me a chance to explain." He nodded slowly. "I knew you wouldn't talk to me in public, not about this, but I had to tell you. I'm not over you. I'll never be over you. I love you too much to be able to let go."

"Oh, Andie . . . " His voice broke with emotion even as his hand moved to gently caress her cheek. "I love you, too. I've always loved you. You're everything to me, and there is nothing more I want in life than to be able to be with you."

Her eyes lit with hope as she spoke tentatively, "Really?"

He smiled down at her, and her heart thrilled. "Really," he said as his head lowered towards hers.

His lips touched softly down upon hers at first, but the kiss grew quickly. Her lips parted eagerly, and their tongues slid smoothly into one another's mouths to taste even more deeply of each other. His arms slid around her slender waist, pulling her close to him, and her hands slid up and over his chest. His hands caressed the small of her back as her fingers entwined in the ends of his brown hair. They stood in one another's loving embrace for a long time, their lips and tongues parting only to seek deeper pleasures and new positions.

Eventually, her hands moved back down over his chest. They ran over his chest before beginning to push off his jacket. Without question, his arms and hands left her body to shed his jacket and toss it aside. Her hips instinctively cradled the growing bulge in his pants. Neither of their mouths paused in their passionate kissing for even a second as their hands changed positions. His went to cup her bosom, his hands and fingers gently caressing her tight breasts through the slim fabric of her dress.

Her fingers set to work on the buttons of his shirt, unbuttoning each one in a steady line down to his pants. She pulled the shirt's hem out of his pants and then pushed it off of his fine torso, her hands caressing his naked skin as she did so. She tossed the shirt away from them, freeing her hands to once more run over his chest. She paused at his hard nipples, her fingertips massaging them briefly, before moving on down to his pants.

She was about to unzip his pants when he moved, his lips leaving hers, both surprising and worrying her for just a second. His lips moved over her face -- brushing soft kisses across her forehead, the backs of her eyes, and the tip of her nose before beginning a trail of heated kisses across her cheeks that led to her right ear. There, he nibbled softly on her ear lobe, his tongue sliding across the tender skin, before whispering into her ear, "I love you, Andie McPhee."

His words thrilled her and set her heart to beating even faster. "And I love you, Pacey Witter," she whispered back as her lips brushed briefly across his throat. Even as his hands reached behind her and began to unzip her dress, hers returned to his pants. She unbuttoned them and brought the zipper down before letting them fall around his ankles. Her hands moved back up to caress his eager sword through the soft fabric of his boxers even as he slid her dress down over her shoulders.

His lips moved once more, this time setting a trail of hot kisses running down her neck to the base of her throat. He paused there, his tongue flicking out to taste her flesh, before continuing the trail of kisses that brought him to her taut bosoms. Once there, he gently took her left breast into his mouth, sucking hard even as his tongue slashed over her hard skin. As he continued to suck her breast, his teeth grazed gently across her flesh, and her head fell back in ecasty, a soft moan escaping her lips as he continued his passionate assault on her breast.

As he finally pulled his head back, slowly releasing her taut breast from his hot mouth, her hands resumed the stroking of his sword, and it almost quivered in response. His tongue ran over the skin between her breasts before nipping at her right nipple. His teeth were gentle and playful as he nibbled her there before taking the rest of her breast into his mouth and giving it the same treatment he had her left one. His hands finally released her zipper, leaving her dress to fall the rest of the way down to lay in black pools around her feet. Neon lights from outside flashed over her naked body.

Her hands slid up and over his sword. Reaching the hem of his boxers, her fingers slipped inside and ran over his skin before pushing his boxers down. The very second it was free from the boxers, his sword sprang up, begging for her attention. Her hands ran back up his legs towards his groin, but instead of heading for his anxious sword, they moved instead to caress his fuzzy testicles. Her hands massaged them before running back down over his sword. Her fingertips teased its head before running back up his body.

As her hands again encircled his neck, she suddenly leapt up. His massive sword entered her sheathe in one, swift plunge, and her legs wrapped tightly around his hips. As her lips recaptured his, she breathed against them, "Take me to bed, Pacey," and he did just that.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

Late in the night, she stirred slowly. As her blue eyes fluttered open, his handsome face was the first thing she saw. He was sound asleep, his arms still wrapped tightly around her. She smiled. Life could not possibly be any more perfect!

In the shadows lit only by the city lights drifting in from outside her open window, she spied something sticking out from underneath his pillow. She managed to wriggle a hand free of his warm embrace, reached up, and pushed the rope back into hiding inside his pillow case. It would not do for him to ever find that and learn what she had done. If that were to happen, her paradise would shatter, but it simply wasn't going to happen.

He stirred as her arm slipped back into its previous position. "Andie?"

In response, she leaned over and kissed him deeply. His arms still encircling her, he rolled over onto his back, bringing her to lay on top of him. His hands began to caress her body again as their kiss deepened, their tongues sliding smoothly back into one another's mouths. His hands fondled her breasts as hers lovingly stroked his shoulders. As his sword came steadily back to life, it slid smoothly back into her warmth, and she began to ride him once again.

It stretched further into her than it ever had before, filling her completely as she tightened and released only to tighten once again around it. Their kisses grew in passion, each one more sizzling than the last, and their hands heatedly caressed every inch of the other's body that they could possibly find. They loved each other well throughout the night and on late into the next day and even beyond that.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

He awoke on the third morning with her only to find her already straddling him. She leaned down before him, her tight breasts brushing against his chest, and kissed him. "Good morning, sleepy head," she purred, her blue eyes gazing lovingly down into his deep brown pools. "I have a surprise for you."

"Hmm?" he mumbled sleepily against her lips. "What's that?"

"Just lay there and find out," she purred to him. She kissed him passionately one more time before beginning to lead a trail of heated kisses down his throat and over his chest. She paused at each hard nipple, nipping them softly, pulling them into her mouth, and chewing gently at them. A soft moan escaped his lips as the waves of pleasure shot through him yet again.

Her lips resumed their trail, and as they started over his belly, her breasts dipped to rub against his hard sword. His moans of pleasure were music to his ears as she continued downwards. Her teeth gently grazed his testicles as she pulled his left one into her mouth. She sucked it hard, her tongue and teeth grazing it, before administering the same treatment to his right testicle.

Finally, she reached his sword. Her tongue tempted its tip with a quick lick before she began to give long licks to each side. It wriggled in pleasure, and his moans grew louder. Her fingers gently massaged his sword as she nipped him extremely gently. She returned to seductively licking his member, prolonging the inevitable and causing his passion to grow nearly to the breaking point.

Her lips finally brushed again across his sword's head. Her tongue slipped from her lips to lick it again before her mouth slowly began to lower upon it. She sucked it with a gentleness that quickly grew hard, slowly taking more and more of it into her mouth. It began to jerk inside her heated mouth, but she continued swallowing it until its tip nearly reached the back of her throat. If she were to take any more, she would surely choke, but it was at that second that he reached the peek.

She held tightly to his sword as his sperms spilled forth into her mouth. When she had swallowed the last and his sword had gone limp, she finally pulled back. Their eyes met as she licked her lips, and he again groaned. She had never seen him smile so brilliantly as she again started her way back up his body. "Nice surprise?" she purred to him as her body laid over his.

Their lips were only inches apart as he replied, "Wonderful," and then they began to kiss again.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

The following morning found both exhausted but still basking in the brilliant glow from their love-making. Her hand lovingly caressed his chest as she mumbled softly, "I don't want you to have to go back to work today."

"Andie, I've already called in sick the last three days. I don't want to go back either, but I can't pretend to be sick again."

She looked up at him, and their eyes met. "I didn't think the restaurant was called Pacey's Place for another Pacey."

"It's not," he said with a shake of his head.

"So you own it?"

"Yeah. What are you getting at, McPhee?"

"Pacey, it's simple really, love. If you own the restaurant, you're in charge of every one and everything there." Her slender shoulders shrugged carelessly as she concluded, "Just tell them you're taking a vacation."

"But what if something comes up that they can't handle?"

Andie sat up and then turned to lean over her beloved. His hands reached up for her breasts, but she gently swatted them away. "Pacey, what's more important to you?" she asked him. "Being with me or your business?"

"You are," he said without hesitation. "You're the most important thing to me in all of life."

"Good boy," she purred down to him. She allowed his hands to cup and caress her breasts even as her lips lowered over his and kissed him once again.

Later, as they again bathed in the warmth of their love's glow, Andie spoke again, "Sweetheart, do you still have a boat?" When he nodded, she asked him, "Why don't we take our vacation on it? You can call in to work; then I can call Jack to drive us there. That way, neither of our cars will have to wait out the week at the harbor."

"I do like the way you think, beautiful," he told her gently before reaching over her to grab the phone.

* * *

"Jack, it's Andie."

"Hey, sis! What's up?" the cheery voice on the other end of the line asked.

"Pacey and I are taking a vacation, and we need some one to drive us to the harbor."

"Wait a minute. _Pacey_ and you?" Jack repeated, his eyes wide. "When did you two get back together?"

"A few nights ago," Andie said, looking up adoringly at Pacey with a warm, loving smile on her face.

"And you're just now letting your _brother_ know because . . . ?"

Andie laughed gently, her blue eyes dancing. Pacey reached over and ran a hand through her soft hair. "_Think_ about it, brother dear," she teased.

Silence reigned on the other end of the line for a moment before Jack spoke again. "Oh. _Oh._ I see. So why do you need me to take you to the harbor?"

"We're taking Pacey's boat out for a week, and we don't want to leave our cars there. God only knows what filth might find them there."

"I completely see your point. Pick you up in about a half hour from now?"

Andie grinned. "We'll see you then, Jack."

**To Be Continued . . . **


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

"Come on, Pacey," Andie called behind her shoulder as she hurried toward the elevator. "Jack's waiting."

"Andie, I . . . I . . . " Pacey stammered.

His scared voice stopped Andie in mid-stride, and she turned back to look at him, great concerned etched clearly on her face and in her eyes. "Pacey, what is it?" she asked, the icy fingers of fear gripping her heart.

He was standing in the doorway. His face had lost all its color, and his eyes were wide and frantically sweeping his surroundings. "Andie, I can't see!" His eyes met hers and he added, "I can see you. I just can't see anything else!"

Andie's blood ran cold. Oh Gods, she thought, fighting to keep herself from trembling in fear for her beloved. It had to be a side effect of the spell. "What happened?" she asked softly as she dropped her suitcase and hurried over to him. "What do you mean you can't see anything else, honey?"

"I mean exactly what I say! I can see you, Andie, but that's it! Everything else is just pitch black! No colors! No shapes! Not even any shadows! Just a solid, black . . . nothingness!" By the time she reached him, he had began to tremble, and she pulled him into a gentle, reassuring hug. "What's happening to me!" he exclaimed, fighting to keep from crying.

The elevator doors slid open just then, and a voice called out to them. "Guys, what's taking so -- " Jack's voice abruptly broke off as he entered the hallway only to see Pacey looking more afraid than he had ever before seen him. "What happened!" he immediately demanded, fear for his close friend and sister creeping into his voice.

"I can't see, man! Oh, God, help me! I can't see!"

"Sh, baby, sh," Andie crooned softly to him as she lovingly stroked his head. "We'll figure it out." Somehow, she added silently.

"How long has this been going on?" Jack asked, clearly as puzzled as he was concerned.

"It just started," Pacey answered, fighting to restore his voice to normal and hide his fear but finding that he was unable to stop himself from trembling. "I came out here, and suddenly I . . . I just couldn't see anything except Andie! I can't even see you, Jack!"

Jack looked questioningly at his sister. "Andie, do you have any . . . ?" he began to ask only to be interrupted.

"No, Jack, I don't know what the Hell happened," Andie snapped harshly. "Call the hospital. Maybe they can figure something out after they run some tests."

"But, sweetheart, what about the boat?"

"Forget the boat, Pacey. You're more important." How could he be thinking about that when he just lost so much of his vision? What had she done to the only man she had ever loved!

Even as he pulled out his cell phone, Jack looked from Pacey to his sister, back to Pacey, and then again back to Andie. "Andie, see if you can get him out to the car. I'll put your things back in your apartment and lock it while I'm getting the hospital on the phone. I'll meet you downstairs, and we'll get him there. I have no idea what's happened, but I'm sure that it can be fixed."

The entire time that Andie was leading Pacey into the elevator, she could stop thinking back to the spell. Oh, Gods! How could I have been so _stupid_, so unbelievingly _selfish_! she cried silently. Use your eyes only to look at me. That's what did it. It had to be. Gods! Gods! Gods! This is _not_ happening! Yet, the entire time, she knew that it was, and worst of all, she knew that it was entirely her fault.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

"We came as soon as we heard," a blonde sputtered out as two women burst through the door.

"Do they know what happened yet?" her brunette companioned inquired.

Jack shook his head. "They haven't got the first clue."

The women's eyes turned to the medical bed to see Pacey sitting up. His head was turned toward them, but his eyes were unseeing. Andie sat beside him, holding his hand and stroking it reassuringly. Joey could only stare in horrid disbelief, but Jen managed to find her voice as they came closer. "How are you holding up, Pacey?"

"I'm a man who's suddenly lost almost all his eyesight, but things could be worse." His head turned so that his eyes could gaze upon his beloved, and he managed a smile. "At least, I can still see the love of my life."

Jen's and Joey's eyes widened as they looked from one to the other. "When did you two get back together?" Joey demanded.

"A few nights ago," Andie answered, "but it's not important now." Pacey's cell rang, and Andie answered it. "Hello?"

The phone crackled a bit as a familiar voice that she had not heard in years came over the line. "Andie, how is he?"

"Dawson, how did you . . . ?" Andie asked. The identity of the caller clearly surprised all but Joey.

"Joey called me when she and Jen were on their way to the hospital. Are they there yet?"

"Yeah. They just got here."

"How is he?"

"He's holding up as well as can be expected, I guess . . . " Andie's voice trailed off as Pacey reached out a hand for the phone. "He wants to talk to you."

Just as Andie handed the phone to Pacey, Jen's cold voice broke the room's momentary silence. "And _I_ want to talk to _you_, Andie McPhee."

Andie looked up as Pacey took the phone, their fingers brushing as he did so. Jen's eyes were filled with fury, and she was staring straight at her. Andie swallowed hard. Could it be? Could Jen know? Nonsense! What could Jen Lindley possibly know about the Craft? She stood and looked back to Pacey. "I'll be right back, love," she told him gently as she leaned over and brushed a soft kiss across his lips.

"Hurry back," he requested. His eyes followed her as she left the room, he presumed, with Jen. Then, he held the phone to his ear and, trying but failing to sound cheerful, spoke into it, "Hey, Dawson!"

Outside, in the hallway, Andie started to stop, but Jen snatched her hand and pulled her along with here. "Not here," she snapped, her eyes still blazing.

"Jen, will you slow down and tell me what it is that you're so determined to talk to me about?" Andie pleaded.

Jen shot her a colder glare than any Andie had ever witnessed her old friend give any one before. "You know damn well what it is," she hissed as she continued to pull her along.

Andie quickly looked away. She knew. She had no ideal how Jen knew, but she knew. What was she going to tell her? Now that Jen knew, she'd tell the others. She had to stop her from doing that, but how could she possibly do so without killing her? If only I had my Book of Shadows, she thought. I know there's a forgetting spell in there. Then, a new thought struck her. But I've already seen what my spell did to Pacey. How can I screw up Jen's life, too? If I don't, though, she'll screw up mine. Even as they reached the bathroom and Jen all but swung Andie inside, Andie thought, She's too late to do that. You already did it when you condemned Pacey.

Once inside the bathroom, Jen quickly moved the trash can against it, and then she whirled on Andie. Fury screamed from her eyes as she hissed out, "What did you do to him, Andie! What were you _thinking_! How could you do this to him!"

"Do what?" Andie replied, trying to appear innocent.

"Don't give me that, McPhee. You're not innocent. I'm from New York! I know the kinds of things that really go down in the world, and I know about magic, both the good and the bad! Now what in the _Hell_ did you _do_ to him!"

"I . . ." Andie paused. She couldn't admit to this. If she did, it was all over. Yet, already, she found herself exclaiming hurriedly, "I love him! I wasn't thinking straight! All I knew was that I had to get him back!"

"You love him?" Jen repeated, her voice ice cold. "You _love_ him! Don't give me that bullshit, Andie McPhee! You _don't_ take away the sight of some one you love!"

"Do you think I knew it would do that!" Andie cried. "If I had, I would never have done it!"

"Then undo it. There's a way to cancel every spell ever made, Andie. Find it, and do it. Give him back his eyes!"

The last few days had been so wonderful. They had been Heaven on Earth. He finally loved her again, and they were finally back together, just as they had always belonged. How could she possibly give all that up? "What if I don't? What will you do? Tell him? He'd never believe you!"

"No," Jen said, shaking her head. "I won't tell him or any one else. I don't want to be locked up like you once had to be. But if you don't, Andie, all he will ever be able to see is you. He'll never get to see any of us again. He won't get to see his family or his friends or the town or his restaurant or the night sky! He won't even be able to walk without being in danger of being killed! He'll never be able to cook again! Is that _really_ what you want? Do you really want him so damn bad that you'll _condemn_ him for the _rest_ of his _miserable life_ just so you can have him and the pretense of love? 'Cause as long as he's under that spell, he's not thinking for himself. He's only doing, saying, and feeling what _you've_ forced him to!"

Jen's speech left Andie wordless. Tears began to spill from her eyes as she fell to her knees on the bathroom floor. "Oh, Gods!" she breathed shakily. "What have I done?"

Jen stared coldly at her. "You know what you've done. The only question is: Are you going to let it continue?" She then turned her back on Andie and left without another word. Andie's sobs echoed through the bathroom even as Jen continued to walk away.

**To Be Continued . . . **


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

"Andie?" Pacey asked hopefully, his head turning unseeing eyes toward the door as he heard it open and footsteps enter the room.

"No, Pace," Jen's familiar voice answered. "It's just me."

Instant concern that ran deeper than the deepest ocean clouded his handsome features. "Where's Andie?" he demanded.

Under the watchful gazes of Jack and Joey, Jen shrugged. "She had to take a little longer in the bathroom . . . "

Jack's brown eyes slanted. Something more was going on there than met the eye. His eyes met Jen's for a long moment, and she swallowed hard at the realization that he suspected something. "Jack, it's not . . . " she started to say, but he never gave her a chance to finish.

"Joey, keep an eye on Pacey. Pacey, don't worry about Andie. I'm going to go find her."

"But, Jack," Joey started to protest, her deep brown eyes lifting up from Pacey's worried face only to find the room's door still swinging shut behind her friend. She looked questioningly at Jen, but the blonde merely shrugged.

Jack hurried through the hallways, dodging past busy hospital staff and darting around patients and their loved ones. It was not long before he heard his sister's cries echoing from a bathroom. His head snapped up at the sound, and the instant reaction barely avoided him a glance at a nurse who was about to enter. "Miss," he called out to her, breaking into a swift jog as he did so, "please don't!"

She looked up, the jerking motion of her head causing her long, black hair to fall in riplets of velvet around her slender shoulders. Her ocean blue eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the man hurrying toward her. Her bosoms grew taut as she recognized him. Her ruby red lips parted to speak just as he called out again.

"That's my sister in there," he hurriedly explained upon reaching the nurse. "Her boyfriend's been injured, and we don't know if he'll ever regain his eyesight. Please let me talk to her," he paused, then continued with a quick glance at her name tag, "Ophelia."

Ophelia's blue eyes looked from the man before her to the bathroom door and then back again to the man. "It's completely against regulations to allow a man into the ladies' bathroom, but for you, Jack . . ."

"You know me?" he asked in surprise.

She inclined her head in a slight nod. "We went to school together in Capeside, but I don't think you ever noticed me. I was the girl who used to sit two seats in front of you in Biology class, but your sister needs you now." She backed slowly away from the door, her eyes never leaving his. "You know, Jack, it's a true shame that a guy like you went gay," she whispered so that only he could hear before turning and walking away.

For just a second, his eyes watched her long, slender legs stretching out below the short hem of her white skirt. He swallowed hard. _That_ was Ophelia? When he had last seen her, she had been flat-chested with glasses, braces, and a horrid laugh, yet now she was almost enough to make a man doubt his sexual orientation.

Jack shook his head, turned back to the bathroom door, pushed it open, and hurried in. His heart lept into his throat at the sight of his sister on her knees in the bathroom floor. Her face was buried in her hands, and her entire body shook violently with her painful sobs. "Oh, Andie," he breathed softly, instantly kneeling beside her and reaching out to her.

"Jack?" Her head snapped up at the sound of her brother's worried voice. "What are you doing here?" Her blue eyes were haunted with a sadness and grief beyond anything he had ever seen in them before, and tears continued to stream endlessly down her stained cheeks.

"Andie, you're my sister. You needed me. I came." He reached out to her again, but she scurried backwards.

"You shouldn't have," she told him, shaking her head and causing strands of her messy blonde hair to slap at her cheeks.

"What do you mean I shouldn't have?" Jack demanded. "You're my _sister_."

"I'm also a bitch, Jack," she snapped, forcing herself to her feet and heading toward the sink. "Now just go away and leave me alone."

"Andie," he again spoke her name as he, having returned to his feet at the same time as she had, "you're not a bitch. This isn't your fault!"

"Yes, it is!" she hissed, unable to even meet the reflection of his extremely concerned eyes in the mirror.

"Andie, you didn't make Pacey go blind. You didn't do this. What on Earth could ever make you think you had?"

"I don't _think_ it, Jack. I _know_ I made him go blind. This is _all my_ fault. Now just go _away_!" She couldn't tell him. She wanted to, but she couldn't. If she did, he would hate her just as much as Jen now did, but although she could live with Jen completely hating her for the rest of eternity, she could never live with Jack's hatred.

"Andie, I am not going away." His voice was gentle but nonetheless firm as he slowly approached her. "I don't know what makes you so sure that you're responsible for Pacey's condition, but you're my sister. I care about you, and so does he. We both love you, and he needs you right now."

"The last thing he needs is me."

"No, Andie, the thing he needs the _most_ is _you_, because _you're_ the one he _loves_!"

She was almost within his reaching distance when she whirled around on him, her crying eyes suddenly blazing with fury. "He doesn't love me! Not really! He only _thinks_ he does, because I put a damn spell on him! I needed him so much, I wanted him so much, I loved him so much that I didn't even give a damn about his own free will! I made him a _slave_, Jack! A _slave_! I said that he should only use his eyes to look at me, and I don't know why the spell back-fired the way it did or why it took so long to happen! I just know that _I'm_ the cause he's laying in that damn hospital! _I_ am the reason he's _blind_!" The flurry of words had spilled forth from her tongue before she had been able to stop them, and now it was far too late to take them back. As fear once more tightened its icy fingers around her crying heart, she turned her back to him once again.

Jack stared at his sister in shock. Andie had fallen into Witchcraft? His sister had put a spell on his friend to make him love her forever regardless? "Oh, Andie," he breathed softly, sympathy filling his heart, as he reached out to her and pulled her protesting body into his arms. No matter what she might do or not do, she would always be his sister, and he would always love her.

Andie was just as shocked as her brother had been when she had told him what she had done when Jack suddenly pulled her into a tight, reassuring hug. "You don't hate me?" she asked in a meek voice.

"Andie, you're my sister. I could _never_ hate you."

That reassurance was all she needed to finally collapse into her beloved brother's arms. She held tightly to him as he hugged her reassuringly. Her face buried into his shoulder, and her tears soon began to soak his shirt.

Neither knew how long they stood there, but finally she pulled away just enough to look at him. Her head cocked slightly to one side as she studied him. There was so much she wanted to say, so much gratitude and love she wanted to express to her only still-living kin, but there were simply no words to express such deep feelings. Finally giving up, she simply whispered with a sad smile, "I love you, brother."

He smiled, but his smile and eyes reflected her misery. "And I love you."

"But what am I going to do?" she asked him, her smile completely disappearing as her thoughts returned to Pacey. "Pacey's not going to understand, and I don't know if I can live without him."

"Andie, you're a strong woman -- the strongest I know --, but the question isn't rather or not you can live without him. The real question here is: Can you live with yourself if you don't reverse the spell and you never know whether he truly loves you or it's just the spell speaking?"

She sighed, releasing a more miserable sound than any he had ever heard before. "You're right," she hesitantly admitted. Silence reigned except for their soft breathing as she thought. Finally, she spoke again, "I think I have an idea of how to reverse the spell, but what do I tell Pacey when I leave the hospital to go get what I need?"

"You don't," Jack replied without hesitation. "Tell me what you need, and _I'll_ go get it."

**To Be Continued . . . **


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

_Non dovete giurare qualche cosa  
Amilo soltanto se desiderate a  
Ritengali verso me soltanto come scegliere a  
Dobbiamo avere una storia con una conclusione allineare  
Una conclusione che scegliete  
Ora che ristabilisco la vostra libertà_

As the chanting continued, never ceasing, a hand reached out and dropped a lit match into a black bowl. The flame hit its target, and the picture of a smiling couple began to melt.

_Vada o rimanga come scegliete  
Ma non si dimentichi mai che ti amo  
Soltanto le nostre due anime libere  
Ci regolerà il corso per_

Lightning flashed outside her window, but she ignored it as she continued to work her spell. She sprinkled a mixture of herbs into a liquid that a goblet held and then stirred the mixture in a counter clockwise motion as she continued chanting.

_Pacey Witter, li ho regolati liberi  
Ristabilisco la vostra vista completa  
Veda che cosa desiderate  
Tatto che cosa desiderate  
Risata o cry come scegliete a  
Segua appena le vostre proprie decisioni  
E sia il vostro proprio uomo libero_

As the liquid slowly settled, she picked up her athame and the rope that had began it all. Her slightly trembling hands held both over the sleeping figure in the hospital bed, and her blade sliced through the rope's center. The rope glowed, and then two halves dropped apart. They fell on the sleeping figure and she continued, still chanting in a hushed whisper:

_L'OH non può voi vedere  
Eravate sempre  
Sarete sempre  
L'un amore allineare della mia vita  
Ma ancora li ho regolati liberi_

Her slim fingers wrapped around the smooth glass of the goblet, and she lifted it. Her lips continued to move without stopping even as she pressed the goblet to the sleeping man's lips.

_Pacey Witter, li ho regolati liberi  
Ristabilisco la vostra vista completa  
Veda che cosa desiderate  
Tatto che cosa desiderate  
Risata o cry come scegliete a  
Segua appena le vostre proprie decisioni  
E sia il vostro proprio uomo libero  
Condannato a nessuno ma ai vostri propri che sono  
Uno schiavo nessuno ma le vostre proprie decisioni al  
Li ho regolati liberi. . . ora!_

As she finished the chant, the potion fell into the man's mouth. She poured it slowly and carefully so as to not choke him, hoping the entire time that he would not awake yet never stopping to be afraid that his eyes might open at any second. Thunder roared its anguished fury outside, and lightning flashed again, illuminating the dark room as a hand suddenly closed around her wrist. "Andie," his voice croaked out, "what are you doing?"

"Oh, Pacey," she breathed softly, her heart trembling at the thought of what it knew was about to happen, "I hoped you wouldn't wake up."

"I've been conscious for a little while now. What did you do?" he again demanded.

"Look around you," she whispered softly, her lips trembling.

His eyes left her face to quickly scan the room, and he saw that bits and pieces of the dark room seemed less dark than other areas. His eyes fixed on the window across the room in shock as he witnessed another bolt of lightning. He could actually see! "Andie, what . . . ?" He tried to speak, but at first, not coherent thought could leave his lips. Finally, however, he managed to demand for a third time, "What have you done, McPhee?"

A single tear slipped from her left eye, and then, she forced herself to begin to explain. "It was me, Pacey. I'm the reason why you went blind. I'm what caused you to lose the use of your eyes except for being able to see me. I don't blame you at all if you hate me, Pacey, but please let me at least try to explain. I was desperate. I've never once stopped loving you. I know I've screwed up again, and I know it's not the first time, but I promise that if you will just give me one more chance, I won't screw it up again. I was desperate. I had nothing else to try. I was desperate," she nearly whimpered.

"McPhee," he said, more harshly than he'd intended, "you're starting to babble. _What did you **do**_?"

The tears were beginning to flow freely as she finally answered, struggling to keep from sobbing out loud, "I put a spell on you, Pacey. I put a spell on you to make you love me again, and in that spell, I screwed up and said that you should use your eyes only to look at me. I don't know why it took so long to backfire, but it did. I'm the reason you couldn't see anything but me."

He didn't want to believe her. Every single shread of his logic cried out against it and against all possibility that magic might actually be real, but what else could explain such a strange and sudden lose of sight? What else could explain why Andie had completely captured his heart and soul, pushing out every single other thought for such a long period of time? What else could explain why he would not have questioned her sudden proclaimation of love on that night he'd went to her apartment? What else could have made him so easily forgive her for causing him to think she was dying? He had not cared about anything else, not even his restaurant, until he had suddenly became so terrifyingly close to being completely blind?

"Please," she whispered, "say something . . . " Though she feared the words of hatred that would undoubtedly next spill forth from his lips, she could not bare the unbreaking silence any longer. The quiet seemed to roar through her every vessel until she wanted to scream and never stop. When he still did not speak, she again broke the silence. "You hate me, don't you?" she asked him, her words no louder than a soft whisper.

His eyes were full of swimming emotions that ranged from disbelief to out-right anger. "I could never hate you, Andie," he whispered softly in return, his voice breaking with emotion, "but I don't know if I can trust you."

"Of course you can trust me! I'll never do it again, I swear!"

His head shook in a slow and sad movement. "I wish it were that easy to believe you, Andie, but it's not. You put a _spell_ on me, McPhee. A spell that chained my free will, that forced me to love you . . . " He looked away from her as he paused before continuing, " . . . even more than I already did."

"What do you mean?" she asked. When he again did not answer, she persisted, "Are you saying you still loved me?"

He nodded once, even more slowly than he had a couple of minutes before, but he still would not look at her as silent tears ran down his cheeks. "I never stopped before, and I might not ever be able to."

"Pacey," she said, reaching out to grab his hand with one of hers, "we can make this work!"

His hand jerked away from her touch. "No, McPhee," he disagreed with another shake of his head. "I can't be with some one that I don't know if I can trust."

"But, Pacey, you _can_," she started to protest.

"Don't tell me I can trust you, not after what you've done to me, Andie. Maybe one day I can, and if that day ever comes, I'll look you up."

Her head hung, and her shoulders sagged. She couldn't blame him. As always, this was all her fault. She should never have woven the spell over him. "I'll be waiting," she whispered softly, "for as long as I can should you ever change your mind." She stood slowly, her heart beating madly within her chest in hopes that he might yet stop her, but he lay there in icy refusal to even so much as look at her. "Finish the potion," she said, putting it on his dresser and quickly gathering the rest of her supplies as swiftly as she could, "and your sight will be completely restored."

In silence, she walked to the door. She tossed a pleading glance back at him. "Pacey?" she nearly whimpered out his name, but still he refused to look at her. She closed her eyes against the unbearable pain that swelled within her heart before forcing herself to turn back around and walk out. As the door shut, he finally looked back toward where she had last stood before leaving the room. His fingers reached out for her, but he could not allow himself to call back out to her. Tears of miserable, breaking hearts ran unchecked down both their faces.

**To Be Concluded . . . **


	12. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Nearly a year had crawled by, and yet neither had spoken even so much as one word to the other. Both had been completely miserable since that fateful night in the hospital. Both their hearts had remained heavy throughout the year, and both lost souls were filled with misery and loss.

A hand picked up a picture, and a soft sigh emitted from pink lips as teary blue eyes gazed forlornly down at the photograph. They had both been so happy then, but that was a time that would never come again. She had ruined everything, and now he wanted nothing to do with her. It had been a year ago today that she had set the spell into motion and almost as long since she had last seen him. She should be trying to piece together the shattered, fragile remnants of her life, but all she could think of was him. How many times did she think of him every hour? How many times did his handsome face and charming eyes haunt her very soul both day and night? How many times throughout every set of twenty-four hours did she pick up this picture and think of what could have been if only she had not been such a stupid bitch? The answer to all the questions were the same: countless.

The door bell rang suddenly, shattering Andie's thoughts, and her head snapped up. "Who is it?" she called, wild eyes zeroing in on the door. She still didn't feel up to dealing with company. Silence reigned for a long moment before she demanded again, "Who is it?"

Finally, the answer came in a meek, soft voice. "It's me."

Andie's eyes grew instantly wide, and her heart hammered so loudly that it seemed as if it might very well burst from her ribcage at any second. "P-P-Pacey!" she stammered out in surprise.

"Yeah, it's me." His words were slow, and she wondered if he was truly contemplating each word he spoke to her that much or if he was simply that nervous. "Andie, I know it's been a long time -- 361 days even --, and I know I have no right to come to you now, but later's better than never, right?"

She sighed as a tremble ran through her body. Why had he come to her now, after all this time? What did he want? Could it be . . . Dare she think . . . Dare she hope that he might have reconsidered their fate? "What is it, Pacey?" she called, trying to make her tone cold but only letting her depression creep out into her voice. "What do you want?"

"To talk to you. Please, Andie? All I'm asking is that you hear me out. Nothing more or less." She owed him that much at least, he couldn't help thinking.

She was silent as she crossed the room and finally opened the door. His brown eyes sought her blue eyes, but she turned them away out of fear that they might give her away and let him see how terribly she was hurting. She stepped back into the room and turned away from him. As he followed and shut the door, she spoke softly, "I'm listening."

He could read her so easily. She was scared. Although she had been the one to curse him and sleep around on him, he couldn't help the guilt that tore at his heart. She was scared that he was here to hurt her again. God, how many times _had_ he hurt her? She had been truthful to him, and yet he had rewarded that truth not with love or understanding but with fury. How could he possibly blame her for being scared of him? "Andie," he spoke her name softly as he reached out to lay a gentle, reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Although his simple touch sent sparks shooting through her, it also brought vivid memories of all their times together floating through her mind -- everything from their first kiss to the time when they had danced on Capeside's dock and from their first passionate night together to the last time she had touched him in the hospital. She forced herself to shrug away from his touch even as she fought to control the onslaught of emotions that accompanied the memories.

He looked at her as she shrugged away from him, and pain flickered in his dark eyes. "I deserve that, I guess," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets, "but you know, McPhee, you're not exactly blameless here. I know I've hurt you, and I'm truly sorry for that. But what did you expect me to do when you slept with that guy? When you put a _spell_ on me?"

She whirled around to face him. Her eyes had suddenly transformed from being haunted with sorrow to blazing with fury. "How _dare_ you!" she seethed as she began to close in on him, shaking with fury. "How _dare_ you come into my home just to berate me for things I've _already_ apologized for! What more do you _want_ from me, Pacey! What more can I do other than what I've already done? I know I screwed up! I admit it! I've admitted it for a long time now, and I told you the _truth_! Maybe you didn't want to hear that truth, but I told you any way because I _trusted_ and _loved_ you and knew you deserved to know!"

"Oh God," Pacey suddenly whispered, and she noticed for the first time that his face had paled considerably. "I don't want to do this," he said, still shaking his head. "I don't want to fight with you again, Andie. Maybe I shouldn't have come here," he continued, turning and heading back toward the door. "Maybe it is too late."

She watched him, her surprise etched plainly on her face. "Too late for what?"

"It doesn't matter," he said, "not if all we're going to do is fight. I won't fight you again, Andie. I won't. I'm sick of fighting."

"Pacey, you're starting to babble," she said gently, "but for what it's worth, I don't want to fight either."

He dared a glance back at her from over his shoulder. "Then why did you pounce on me?"

"I was defending myself. I know I screwed up. There's no words to tell you how sorry I am for both of those times, but there's also nothing more I can do now than to apologize and to swear I would never do it again if I were given another chance and to tell you that out of everything that's ever gone wrong in my life, including Tim dying, that the one thing -- the _one_ thing that I regret more than everything else is losing you." While she had been talking, she had also been trembling terribly, and as she finished, she turned away from him again, tears running down both her cheeks as her body shook.

As he had watched her, tears had also filled his eyes. He knew how much Tim's loss had hurt her, and he knew that her life had been full of tragedy. The only thing that surprised him was that he meant more to her than any of it. "Oh, Andie," he breathed softly, struggling to keep his voice from shaking, as he crossed over the floor to stand behind her. He reached out and again laid a gentle hand on her shoulder; this time, she did not pull away. He slowly turned her around and lifted her chin with his index finger, gently forcing her to look at him. "You're not going to lose me, McPhee. Never again."

Confusion flickered in her tear-filled eyes. "But I thought you hated me?"

"Oh, Andie," he whispered softly, "I could never hate you."

"But, in the hospital, you said . . . "

"Even in the hospital, I told you I could never hate you. I just didn't think I could be with some one that I couldn't trust. I still can't, but," his fingertips softly traced her beautiful face as he continued, speaking softly, "I'm willing to trust you again, Andie. I know you've hurt me and let me down twice, but I can't help believing in the woman I love. Don't get me wrong. I've tried every trick in the book to get you out of my system. I've tried laying everything I could, but nothing and no one can get you out of my system. I love you, McPhee. I always have, and I always will. I can't explain it. Maybe I should hate you, but I can't. Maybe I shouldn't trust you again, but I can't help myself. I've been blinded, Andie . . ."

"But the spell's over," she managed to speak again at last. "It's been over ever since you drank the last of that potion. You _did_ finish it, didn't you?"

"I did," he told her, "but that's got nothing to do with this. I've been blinded all right, Andie, but it's not by a spell. It's by love. I guess what I'm trying to say, Andie, is that if you will have me, I'm still yours. Not through a spell or a trick. Not because I feel sorry for you or myself. But because I love you. I love you, Andie, and I want to be with you, and I want us to work out right this time."

"Oh, Pacey," she breathed, her eyes sparkling with joyful tears. "Do you mean it?"

"I've never meant anything more in my entire life, Andie, and that's the simple and complete truth from me to you and with nothing screwing either of us over this time."

"Oh, Pacey," she breathed joyously. She leaned up against him and brushed her lips gently over his. "I love you," she whispered, gazing lovingly up into his eyes, before kissing him again.

They continued to kiss increasingly passionately as they came closer into one another's warm embraces. One hand circled her waist and pulled her close to him as his other hand cupped and stroked her smooth cheek. Her hands slid upwards, passing over his broad shoulders, until they finally embedded themselves into his thick curls. Their tongues slipped into one another's mouths, quarreling seductively. As their lips found deeper pleasures than ever before, their hearts soared to a new and higher level of undying love.

**The End**


End file.
